MY LIFE WITH YOU
by Claudia Gazziero
Summary: Kaoru Kamiya a girl that has nothing to lose anymore and Kenshin Himurai, a guy that had already lost everything. Two souls, living together for the last six months, embrace powerful and passionate feelings that can consume anything on their way.
1. Chapter 1

**RUROUNI KENSHIN DOES NOT BELONG TO ME, THE ARGUMENT (The Story) AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE THE PROPERTY OF N. WATSUKI**

* * *

This story is dedicated to Ian F. My best wishes and I hope you enjoy this piece. Love, Claudia Gazziero.

This is my first English fic, that has been accepted succesfully in the spanish speaking community.

I hope you can enjoy it as I had while writting it.

* * *

"When Himura Kenshin's life was destroyed, the worst thing he could do was bring Kamiya Kaoru home. He had no desire to live, while life was all she wanted..."

**MY LIFE WITH YOU**

**Author: Claudia Gazziero**

**BetA: Hada-Fiction**

**CHAPTER I**

**I**

Kaoru was in a situation that could rile anyone's nerves. She waited for Misao's signal to run out and climb the large wall that separated Kaoru from her freedom. However, her friend didn't show up. It had been thirty minutes already and the entire juvenile detention center was dark and silent. What had happened to her friend, Misao? Had she been caught?

Kaoru had been here for over a year and all she wanted, besides death, was freedom. To escape to a life with dignity was all she wanted. Abhorrent things happened in that place and only those who lived there knew; it was not an easy thing to talk about with others without it sounding like a joke.

Kamiya Kaoru had been locked up after a police investigation in which her mother and other women were arrested for prostitution. Because she was a minor, she was taken to the detention center for children who had problems with the law. These boys and girls were not kind and survival of the fittest reigned. Kaoru was weak; she always had been and probably always will be, so she needed to get out of here.

She and Misao had planned to escape. Kaoru was waiting inside the house, a view of the garden could be seen from outside the kitchen. They were to meet at midnight on the patio, behind the big tree, but because of her friend's delay she feared the worst. Perhaps she had been caught leaving the dorm rooms? Kaoru didn't know, but hoped Misao was safe; the punishment for escaping was torture.

Suddenly, she heard a noise outside the house. Through the kitchen door she was able to see Misao's face. She had done it! Misao came out from behind the tree to go to meet her, but she was caught. Makoto, one of the workers and her worst nightmare, had seen her and trapped her. A rope was tied tight around her shoulders and legs, and once that was done Makoto turned his sights on Kaoru's retreating back.

Kaoru had managed to make a run towards the large wall, as the man followed, leaving Misao in the garden. All Misao could do from her place tied on the ground was watched as Makoto began to catch up to her.

"Run Kaoru! Don't let him catch you!" cried Misao, who was unable to move. Misao hoped Kaoru might have more luck than she had. "Don't get caught…"

Kaoru ran with all her might, but that was not enough. Makoto was close behind and when she managed to climb the wall, he grabbed her ankle tightly.

"Let go of me!" she cried desperately. She did not want to stay there. She did not want to fail when she was so close. She squirmed to have him let go, but he pulled down even harder.

"Never, you damn rat! You will never escape from me!" he threatened; his voice was thick and nasty.

"Let go, please! I beg you!" she cried. Kaoru felt powerless and futile; no matter how much she struggled, she always failed. Fate planned everything for her except the happiness she craved.

She clung tightly to the brick wall, and Makoto did the same. He accidentally let go and released her. Kaoru kicked him in the face and swooped down the side of the wall that would give her freedom. She dropped to the ground and hit her head. When she landed, a piece of broken glass embedded itself into her calf.

It did not matter now she did what she needed to do. She just needed to disappear. She did not want the man to follow her and lock her back up. Now free, she intended to remain so.

She tried to stand, but felt dizzy. Her leg was bleeding badly. She removed the piece of glass while trying to run, but the pain blinded her for a moment. When she felt she was going to lose consciousness, she saw a light in front of her and then just darkness.

The car lurched; Himura Kenshin knew immediately that something was wrong. He stopped the car and got out to see what happened. He did not like the scene at all. He had hit a girl, and she was lying a few meters from him. He could barely stand, but he was sure he had been the culprit. Oh god, he'd killed someone!

Frightened, he walked towards the girl. She was a pale skinned teenager with black hair, bleeding from the nose and leg. "Are you okay?" he murmured.

The girl did not answer. He managed to get his cell phone out and called for help. A woman answered on the other side.

"911, how can I help you?" Kenshin heard the voice asking.

"There's a girl on the street. She appears to be dead."

Kenshin feared the worst. In his thirty-two years of life, he had never been afraid of going to jail, until now.

The redhead asked the woman for an ambulance and gave her the address where the accident had occurred. He hang up the phone and closed his eyes trying to think.

His phone rang again. He managed to articulate with difficulty. "Yes?"

"Kenshin, are you okay? Are you home?"

"Who is this?"

"Shinomori, idiot! Where are you?"

"Aoshi, I think I killed somebody..." He looked back at the girl motionless on the floor. He bent down to try and tried to wake her up. If God were on his side, for some reason, he would not be blamed for the death of a woman again.

"Hey! Wake up . . . " he begged desperately, but she did not open her eyes.

"Kenshin, call an ambulance!" He heard from the other side of the phone.

Aoshi did not understand what was happening, but had heard Kenshin beg someone to wake up. Most likely Kenshin was driving drunk at night. Aoshi decided to hang up the phone and to wait until further notice.

The sound of the ambulance reached Kenshin's ears, and was relieved. He was going to get up and run, but a small bloody hand leaned against his arm. He turned and saw big blue eyes begging... pitifully? "Don't leave me! I'm scared…" The girl whispered in a sigh that seemed to leave her lifeless. He did not want her to die, nor live the rest of his life in prison.

"Easy," he replied, trying to look calm too.

Paramedics arrived and the girl was put on the stretcher. As they rolled the stretcher away, they asked for an explanation to how she became injured. Kenshin couldn't answer all the questions right; he wasn't even sure what happened. He had never seen the girl before; he only felt the rumble of the hit, and despite being drunk, he was sure she had not crossed his path.

He ran to his car while the paramedics boarded the girl onto the ambulance but one of the paramedics prevented him from driving off. He had no choice but to get into the ambulance and accompany the child.

He didn't know what to say. He had never been through a situation like this. He may have been drunk, but he didn't lose his sense. Kenshin didn't like the intimacy and physical contact with people. If the girl was saved, he hoped to never see her again. Although she clung to him with all her strength, he clung to his solitary life like a hungry leech.

His phone rang again. "Aoshi?"

"Kenshin, where are you?"

"I am on my way to the hospital, inside the ambulance. See you there…"

Aoshi muttered under his breath. Kenshin had serious drinking problems. He was sick of him, his attitude, his problems, and his damn company.

He took his coat and left his apartment. If Himura was in an ambulance, it was because he was drunk, he was hurt, or he injured someone. It was obvious he needed his lawyer, and Aoshi was very good at solving Himura's problems.

It was four in the morning when Aoshi found Kenshin in the waiting room of the public hospital. Kenshin was drunk and bloodstained, smelled of whiskey, and could not speak properly. Aoshi went to the coffee vending machine and got a cup of coffee to help Kenshin sober up.

"Kenshin . . . friend. Drink this," he said as he handed him a cup of coffee. Kenshin lifted his head from his hands and was glad to see a familiar face.

"Aoshi, I think I'm in trouble," he said.

The taller man snorted. "I know that, idiot. Now we must think how to get you out of this. Tell me exactly what happened."

Himura Kenshin was really not sure. "I didn't see her."

"Did you run her over?!" Aoshi had thought that Kenshin had hit someone on the street, like last time, but this was more serious. "And it's a girl!"

Kenshin drank coffee and seemed to become more proficient.

"Is she a minor?" the tallest man asked.

The truth was Kenshin did not care too much; he just wanted to get out and lie down in his bed. He just wanted to sleep and die. "I don't know, Aoshi!"

"I'll go investigate," he got up and went to the reception to find out the details. She was a girl of seventeen; her name was Kamiya Kaoru and she had no guardian. She was admitted with an open wound on her leg, a strong blow to her head, and numerous bruises all over her body. She was going to spend a few days in the hospital. Right now, they were operating on her leg.

It wasn't a complicated situation. When the girl awoke, Kenshin would politely and graciously offer her a considerable sum of money to avoid a lawsuit. The media wouldn't find out if the girl had no guardians. This time, Kenshin would be able to get out of a bad situation; he could not afford to make more mistakes. His father was about to fire him, having watched as he fell slowly and painfully into a bottomless pit.

Kenshin had been his most complicated client and friend. Aoshi wanted Kenshin to avoid losing everything. He was President of Himura Corporation, one of the largest companies in the country. Kenshin had glory, fame and fortune, but now he was just ruined. Aoshi could not believe how having fame and fortune would make Kenshin so unhappy.

He decided to take his friend home and return early in the morning. There was no point in visiting the child, as she was in surgery. Aoshi pulled Kenshin onto his shoulders and dragged him to his car. He said nothing more during the trip, although he seemed preoccupied and was to some extent still affected by the accident. Aoshi hoped she did not die in the coming days; that would be a severe blow to the raven-haired man and he did not need more pain. He had enough misfortune in his life without killing someone unintentionally.

The elevator went up and Kenshin looked for the keys in his bag. Inside, the apartment was dark and, as always, filled with bottles of whiskey, wine and rum scattered throughout the house. Kenshin leaned back in his bed and left his cell phone on the bedside table. He would need to call Aoshi early and make up an excuse to not go to the hospital.

Aoshi left Kenshin on his bed and went home. He also needed sleep; he would have lots of work if the plan didn't go through and the media was able a hold of what had happened. And, where did Himura leave his car? He sighed. He would not take care of that.

**II**

Kaoru woke up to the morning light. She was in a white room and everything was impeccable. She could not remember exactly what had happened; she had a headache and couldn't move much. Last night, she and Misao had tried to escape, but Misao didn't succeed. Kaoru became desperate. Where was she? Did she end up back at the detention center? She hoped not, begged the gods not to return.

A nurse entered the room and smiled kindly. "I see you're awake! Maybe you're somewhat drowsy because of the drugs, which is normal. Don't worry about anything, just rest."

"Where am I?" she articulated doubtfully.

"In the hospital. You were in an accident last night. It is normal not remember at first. You're lucky that the person who hit you brought you here. They tend to escape and leave the wounded dying on the street," the kind lady answered.

Then she remembered everything. Makoto pulling her leg, throwing him three meters to the ground, the blow to the head, her injured leg, dizziness, intense light and then the violet eyes of a man, the most beautiful man in the world.

"You have a visitor outside. Your guardian is waiting for you to be discharged," she tried to cheer her up as she inserted medicine for the pain, "Although, I think it might be a couple days."

"My guardian? Who?!"

"The gentleman called himself—," the nurse looked at Kaoru's medical record, and read the name of the guardian. "Mister Shishio Makoto."

Kaoru was even more confused. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. He came this morning looking for you. He is very worried about you. Is he your brother?"

"No, Miss! Please . . . do not let him come in. He's not my guardian."

The nurse did not know what to say. She understood that Kaoru had escaped from a juvenile detention center, so she didn't know whether to believe her. Makoto worked there and was her guardian.

"I don't think it's an error. Maybe you're really stressed due to the accident. Anyway, I don't think you can go today; you must remain hospitalized at least until tomorrow."

Kaoru wanted to die. Makoto had caught her. Where was the man with violet eyes she had seen? Was he just a dream? Did she need to escape from the hospital too? She could not stay in that place. Makoto was dangerous, and she should escape him and his power over her at all costs. At that thought, she fell asleep.

The nurse finished injecting a drug into her IV bag to help her to rest. She left the room without knowing what to believe. One of them was lying. She decided to inform Kaoru's doctor.

Kenshin and Aoshi arrived at the hospital around afternoon. Kenshin had had trouble getting up that morning. The company was in chaos, Himura had worked late and shareholders had complained to his father about his son's incompetence. However, it was necessary to solve the problem of the girl. A lawsuit could end the life of Kenshin Himura at once.

"Kenshin, will you enter or will I go talk to the girl?" Shinomori wanted to know, in order to prepare himself.

"I'll go myself. I can solve my own problems, Aoshi."

His voice was hard. He had never been more cold and sullen. It was normal for Kenshin to beg for Aoshi's help in the middle of the night. He preferred the Kenshin who hated the whole damn world. At least it was easier to deal with Kenshin when he was not drunk.

The nurse approached them and asked them who came to visit. Aoshi gave the name of the girl, who had been stored on his phone.

"Ah, Kaoru Kamiya! Are you related to her?"

"We..."

Aoshi interrupted her. He could not let Kenshin ruin everything. "We are her friends!"

The nurse looked strange. She wasn't sure whether to believe them. Everything about this girl was very strange. "Kaoru is sleeping for now, but you can visit later," she advised.

Makoto, who also was in the waiting room near them, listened intently. He had seen it all from a distance. When Kaoru broke free, kicked him in the face, and fell, Makoto ran to the gate, desperately searching for his keys, and opened it. When he came out, he could only see a car stopped at a distance and an ambulance coming. He knew immediately that they had hit Kaoru. He went out to his car and drove to the hospital. Although he was back in the morning and announced himself as her guardian, he did not see the girl.

He approached the two men once the nurse left. "Hello! I am Makoto, the guardian of the girl."

"Are you family or something?" Shinomori asked suspiciously. Kenshin did not pay much attention.

"No . . . She escaped last night from the juvenile detention center. I work there, I am in charge."

Aoshi thought for a moment. "I understand. Then you are the guardian. What do you need?"

"You guys were the ones who ran over Kamiya?"

Aoshi thought better not give their identities or he could sue. "Not at all! We just found her."

"I understand," Makoto muttered, his eyes examining them with disbelief.

"Shinomori, let's go," ordered Kenshin, diplomatically. The nurse was beckoning, the girl had awakened.

"I think I should go first!" Makoto laughed as if making a joke.

"I don't think so, we have to talk to her and deal with something," they told Makoto as they left.

Kaoru was scared, and did not want to receive this visit. She knew that it was Makoto, which again would subject and he would end her life forever. However, when the door of the room opened, she could see the violet eyes come through the door, followed by a nice man with black hair and intense gaze.

She sighed in relief. That man calmed her. She suddenly felt safe from danger, safe from Makoto, her nightmares and her life in general.

"Did you save me?" she muttered with a voice barely audible.

"Save you?" Kenshin asked, confused.

"Yes, yesterday . . . "

"I didn't save you, but . . . " He was going to clarify, but Aoshi stopped him.

"He called 911!"

"Do you need anything? I will pay the entire hospital bill," Kenshin offered with a serious tone. Apparently, he hadn't noticed his offer was unnecessary. The girl didn't know she had been hit, that meant that she would not be pressing charges.

"Why would you?"

"Because I'm the cause of your injuries. I ran you over with my car last night." He said the truth. Aoshi wanted to beat him for his stupidity. "I will pay for everything if you don't sue me. Do you agree with that?"

Aoshi left the room. Kenshin was more ruined than he thought. Not only was he an alcoholic, but he was an idiot. Aoshi waited outside. Makoto watched him carefully.

Kaoru thought about it. "Then I was struck by you . . . Why did you save me? You could run if you wanted." He laughed ironically.

"I was going to, but you clung to my arm until the ambulance arrived."

Kaoru closed her eyes. "I understand . . . " She was going to cling to anything that would give her security with Makoto waiting outside; she was going to cling tightly to that man.

"I'll sue," she resolved suddenly.

Kenshin's relaxed expression hardened and his eyes stared accusingly. "I said I would pay everything and give you money. What do you want?"

"I don't want your money," Kaoru revealed, scared. That man also frightened her, but much less than Makoto. No one could be as bad as him.

"So what? Say it fast," Himura questioned.

Kaoru sighed and took long to respond. She stared at him. "Take me with you, help me to escape."

"What!" Kenshin exclaimed. He hadn't heard anything so ridiculous in his life.

"Please! Don't let the man out there, Makoto, take me back!" She begged, almost crying. She sounded desperate.

"He says he's your guardian, why did you not go with him?" he questioned, disapprovingly.

"You don't want to know, trust me. I won't give you problems, I won't cost anything. Please . . . take me with you"

Kenshin paused for a while, thinking about what the girl had proposed. He was angry. He did not want to look like a fool. What she proposed was really crazy. How could he take her with him? How? As a daughter, as a bride? "How I can take you with me?" he finally asked.

"Become my guardian, don't let me return to that place. I'll soon be eighteen and you'll be free of me."

Kenshin had enough problems. He was about to be removed from the presidency, he suffered severe depression, he was an alcoholic. Kenshin already had problems with women and a commitment that he would not break, but now that girl wanted him to virtually adopt her.

"I'll sue you if you don't take me with you; I swear." She clung to his arm again.

"How many months are left?" He wanted to know how long it would last.

"In about six months I will turn eighteen."

It was only for six months. The girl promised not to bother him, not to spend, to say anything, not to sue. He appreciated her cooperation. It was terribly annoying to have her around, but she was reasonable.

"Don't expect us to be friends, and I won't do anything else for you. I don't need a lawsuit or the press to be around me. You must keep the accident a secret and recover as quickly as possible."

Kaoru couldn't believe it. "Are you serious? Thank you . . !" The girl was going to call him by his name but remembered she didn't know and he noticed.

"Kenshin Himura . . . "

She smiled.

"Kaoru Kamiya," she offered her hand. She wouldn't be a burden to him; Kaoru would help him as much as she could. She would be forever grateful.

Kenshin rejected her hand. "I don't care what your name is. I'll be back when you're discharged." He left Kaoru with an outstretched hand and a smile on her lips.

Kaoru had escaped successfully, but apparently Himura was almost as bad as Makoto. She remembered his face . . . cold and calculating, his voice hard and tactless. Could it be that Kaoru Kamiya had escaped one torture to get into another?

**TO BE CONTINUED**

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**25/01/2014**


	2. Chapter 2

**RUROUNI KENSHIN DOES NOT BELONG TO ME, AND THE ORIGINAL STORY AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE THE PROPERTY OF N. WATSUKI.**

* * *

This story is dedicated to Ian F. My best wishes and I hope you enjoy this piece. Love, Claudia Gazziero.

This is my first English fic, that has been accepted succesfully in the spanish speaking community.

I hope you can enjoy it as I had while writting it.

* * *

"When Himura Kenshin's life was destroyed, the worst thing he could do was bring Kamiya Kaoru home. He had no desire to live, while life was all she wanted..."

** MI LIFE WITH YOU**

**Author: Claudia Gazziero**

**Beta: Hada-Fiction**

**CHAPTER II: Pride**

The days at the hospital passed and the headache had decreased considerably. Her leg was recovering well also, and although it still hurt her to walk, she was sure that the pain was bearable. A physical injury was nothing compared to what she was carrying in her heart.

She was just waiting for Kenshin Himura to pass by and take her with him, as he had promised, but the hours passed and there was no trace of him. She had gotten the nurse to give excuses to Makoto in order to buy time, and as a result she had escaped to see his disgusting face. She feared that Himura had fooled her and that Makoto would take her back to the detention center. She would prefer to die, to bite her tongue in true Japanese fashion, to throw herself out the window and to take all the medications she could find at the pharmacy, but she would not return to that place. She had decided it.

The black haired teenager was devising new ways of dying when the imposing, important, and unpleasant Kenshin Himura entered the room. The girl was shocked; she had already convinced herself that he wouldn't fulfill his word. She looked at him accusingly due to his absence the past few days that she had been kept at the hospital. Kenshin's gaze showed discomfort. Not expecting this visit to be any different, she still hoped to get along with him. How hard could it be?

"Are you ready? It's time to go," he ordered closing the door behind him, "Are those your belongings?" He looked at a small plastic bag.

"Yes," she said sheepishly. She felt so little, so insignificant next to him.

"Let's go," he said as he opened the door and disappeared. Why was he so cruel? It couldn't hurt him to be gentle, right? She rose with difficulty from the bed, new clothes provided by the hospital, and with her still-bloody clothes in a bag she limped behind him.

When she reached him, Kenshin was at the front desk making the appropriate transactions for the hospital's charges. He received the bills and gave them to the young girl behind him. Kaoru looked at the total of the account: the amount had too many numbers that she felt embarrassed to even look at it. She regretted being a damn load for all people around her. She sighed.

The nurses discharged her and wish her luck. Kaoru said goodbye to them and promised to return to the medical checks. Kenshin began walking to the exit ignoring the exchange. They smiled back and the girl ran to catch up with Kenshin.

She couldn't walk at the same speed as him, her wound still fresh and her legs were much shorter than the man's. As she was exiting the facilities all she could see was his wide back in front of her and then she knew that she would be seeing much of the same sight for the next six months.

He was waiting for her at his car and as he saw her approach he decided to enter and take his seat. Kaoru entered the back seat. Inside, she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. There was a very heavy atmosphere. She could see the hassle she was putting on Kenshin, regretting for a second for ruining his life this way.

Kaoru thought of all the possibilities: perhaps he was married, or had children. How could she explain to everyone who she was? He had reason to hate her; she had blackmailed him in the grossest manner possible and felt badly for that. She would make things easy for him during her stay in his house. Thanks to Himura, she might expect to come of age in total freedom.

He recalled her friend Misao and regretted the fact that she had not been able to escape.

Although Kenshin did not know, he was saving her from a fate her friend was suffering from at that moment. Surely Makoto was getting even with Misao, as consequence of Kaoru escaping from the juvenile detention center.

"You know, I am very grateful for what you are doing for me right now." Kaoru tried, starting a conversation.

"And what exactly do you think I am doing?" asked the man while driving. "A stupid girl blackmailed me the other day and I am just doing what that stupid girl forced me to do."

She looked through the rearview mirror to meet his gaze, "You don't understand but hopefully one day you will."

"I don't think so." He said, indifferent. She didn't even try to break the silence for the rest of the drive. Kenshin was stubborn, reserved, uncompromising and convinced that he was the only person in the world that mattered.

Himura entered in the underground parking lot of a luxurious building, overlooking one of the main avenues of the city. He parked the car and ignored her completely. Kaoru saw him walk up to her door and open it to help her get out. That small gesture made her realize that he was only a troubled man, just like her. Perhaps she would have another opportunity to thank him sincerely for what he was doing.

He helped her walk and ordered her to follow him in a very rude way. Kaoru allowed him to lead them to the elevator. There were many luxurious cars in that parking lot. Was Kenshin that rich? The building was indeed very luxurious. Who was he? She wanted to find out.

They got into the elevator and Kenshin took out a key from his pocket. "This is the apartment's key. Use it responsibly," he said and offered it to her.

Kaoru took it shyly. "Thank you."

"Do not get me wrong I am doing this only for me, not anyone else. You will live in my house but not with me, so don't ever stick your nose in my business," Kenshin threatened.

"I get it, you won't even know I'm here," the girl assured.

The elevator door opened and Kaoru discovered that they were on the 30th floor, too high for her. They walked to a door and he took out an identical key to open it.

It was dark in the inside and all the windows were open. There was a smell of alcohol that could get anyone drunk just by noticing it. Although the windows were open the smell did not diminish. Kenshin lived alone, she realised.

He stopped in the middle of the living room and began to speak without much interest. "This is my place; you can do whatever you want just don't provide the media any information. Do not give interviews; don't let journalists approach you, even if they know about our agreement. You can order food and charge it to my account. Aoshi, my lawyer, will bring your documents and credit cards. You will not go into in my room or change anything in the apartment. Do you understand?"

Kaoru gazed him, hesitant. She had never lived in a house, only a brothel, and did not know very well how to behave with him but she would try to obey everything he said. "I understand," she murmured.

"Very well . . . There's your room over there." He pointed with his finger to a door on the left side of the apartment. After that, he went into his room and did not exit for the rest of the afternoon.

Kaoru looked at her surroundings. Alone in an unknown room, she felt completely lost. There was a large door with windows in front of her. She walked towards it, a balcony just beyond the entry, and she contemplated the view. It was wonderful. After all, they were on the 30th floor and she felt the cool breeze on the face. Kaoru closed the door. It was late and already getting cold outside.

There was white everywhere: the walls, the chairs, everything except for a black appliances in the kitchen. The decor was simple and beautiful, but it was ruined by bottles of liquor located in every corner of the house. Even the white chairs had red wine stains. Apparently, Kenshin was not interested on keeping his house neat and clean, nothing was more important than himself.

She breathed in deep, pulled the sleeves of her shirt up, and took the empty bottles. She looked for a dustbin in the kitchen, but found nothing. She chose to use a plastic bag which was found in the pantry. Kaoru also discovered Kenshin didn't even have plates, only glasses and glasses for all liquors. What does he eat?

She opened the refrigerator and, as she had thought, it was completely empty. Only expired beer was in the felt lonely when she discovered it. She was like a baby that no one wanted, out of place.

Kaoru walked to the living room and sat on the couch. It was very comfortable. Her leg ached with every step so it was good to sit. She rested a moment and then kept on the cleaning, picking up empty dishes.

The doorbell rang. She quietly walked towards the door and looked through the small peephole. It was the guy with the blue eyes that always accompanied Kenshin. She opened the door and greeted him. He greeted back, with much more enthusiasm than Kenshin would ever do.

"I see that you are already here! I was concerned that Kenshin had you left at the hospital." He said sincerely.

"Well, it seems he decided to bring me here afterall," Kaoru explained.

Shinomori sat on the couch and placed all sort of documents on the coffee table. "Take a seat," he invited.

Kaoru obeyed and sat down on the other couch in front of him. He continued. "Now . . . I want to explain to me what all this is about. Why did you ask Himura to bring you here? Honestly . . . it's quite out of the ordinary."

Kaoru laughed. It was true, but she didn't consider herself a normal person. "I can't tell you the exact reasons, but I can assure you that I don't know who Kenshin Himura is. I won't take advantage of him or his money, and when I turn eighteen you'll never see again."

Aoshi looked at her suspiciously, but continued. "That's fine then. Well . . . I brought your new identity card. I took the liberty of forging your signature, since the nurse told me that you went in a hurry . . . " Aoshi extended the document. The signature was only an X.

Kaoru laughed. "Thank you."

Aoshi felt like a jerk for not having creating another signature with more sense, but the girl had not even bothered lecture him for that. The truth was that she didn't even look like a delinquent, but a peaceful and honest person. "Now this is the guardianship agreement, also signed by you. We just need Kenshin's signature. Did he go out?"

"He's in his room. He hasn't come out since we got here," Kaoru explained.

"Did you say something? You should know that Kenshin is a very 'special' person. You have to be very careful of what comes out of your mouth or even what you do," Aoshi advised her in a tone of seriousness.

"Thank you I'll keep that in mind," Kaoru smiled. She was very thankful that Aoshi was giving her tips in order to survive in Kenshin's territory.

Kaoru stood up and knocked when she reached Himura's door. "Are you there? You need to sign some documents."

It took several minutes, but he finally exited the room. His hair was tousled, but he still looked as imposing as the first time she saw him.

Kenshin looked around him. The apartment was clean, the empty bottles of alcohol were not there anymore, and the trash had been picked up. He was deeply upset by that. He had warned the girl keep to herself and first thing she did was to rearrange his things. He didn't appreciate that.

"I told you not to change anything," Kenshin spat angrily, looking at the girl with a hard countenance.

"I . . . I just picked up the trash."

"'Do not change anything in the apartment'. Do you remember that?" He had told her just an hour ago. Was she stupid or what?

She realised her mistake right away. "I . . . I'm sorry," Kaoru said softly. Kenshin had become a monster just for something simple as cleaning.

Aoshi looked at him in disagreement. How long was he going to keep giving him trouble? He seriously doubted that Kenshin was ready to run a business, and he had evidence of that. However, he couldn't do anything more than help him as his lawyer. This was his job and he would not lose it by getting in the way. "Himura, it's called 'organizing' and you need it."

"Do not get into this, Shinomori," he yelled enraged. "I don't like anyone tampering with my possessions, nor my life and if she did this . . . she has to deal with the consequences."

Kaoru was afraid to know what he meant. Would she really be punished for this? What would he do with her?

"Sorry for telling you this, but you cannot touch her. It has been stated in the contract," Aoshi said in a lower voice.

"A contract that I haven't signed yet." Kenshin's face changed. It seemed to calm down, "You know what? I won't sign it. I don't like her and I don't want her here."

He said it and pointed his finger in her face. Kaoru's world clattered to the floor. He couldn't retract his promise, not when she had come so far to escape Makoto. "You can't do it . . . " she begged.

"Of course I can, and I will," Kenshin stated.

Aoshi tried to calm him down. "Himura, remember that the girl you have in your hands . . . "

"I don't care," he looked at her with hate. "Destroying my life does not matter anymore. I'm ruined anyway and I don't want to babysit any brats."

"Himura just think about it. If your father finds out that you ran over the girl while you were drunk, he will take away presidency from you."

"Aoshi, you know me better than anyone. I don't care if he does that. I am done with this, I don't want to see her anymore. Just leave."

"You gave me your word! You can not leave me like this!" Kaoru yelled at him.

"I dont care."

Kaoru could not articulate anything. She wanted to cry and was about to explode. She felt helplessness and frustration pouring into her veins. But above all, she refused to accept what Himura said. She didn't want to go back; not because his apartment was luxurious or because he had more money than Queen Elizabeth, but because her life depended on his word. She had already promised that she would not disturb him at all. If clean-up had bothered him so much she would put the trash back in its place! If he wanted her to bring the Arctic snow she would do it! She only needed his protection. It was her last alternative and he couldn't understand it. Why? What else did he want?

She looked at him with anger and then decided to swallow all her pride. This was nothing compared to her life with Makoto. She planted her knees on the floor, ignoring the pain in her leg, and knelt in front of him as if she was praying at Mecca. "Please don't ask me to go back. I will do everything you say, I won't eat anything, I won't bother you, but please don't send me back."

Aoshi looked at her in surprise and tried to lift her, but she refused. "You will have all my gratitude and I will help you in everything I can. After that, you'll never see me," She promised. Tear were starting to gather in her eyes.

It didn't matter how humiliating it was for her, she had lived through worse kinds before. This was nothing. Nothing! She raised her furrowed face full of tears and looked at Kenshin, waiting for his reply.

"Himura sign the papers already. I would really appreciate if you called off this show already," said Aoshi after looking at the groveling form of Kaoru. It had been decades since anyone knelt to ask a favor. What was the girl so scared of? He felt pity for her and thought it was sad her last alternative was Kenshin Himura, the most troubled man on the planet.

Himura Kenshin was stunned. A person had never resorted to display such sign of humility and submission just ask for his help. He was not used to it and it bothered him greatly. After all, Kenshin was not a God deciding the fate of other people's lives, in fact, he was the least qualified. He didn't want to have anything to do with the girl, but she insisted so desperately.

Why? Why did she refuse to go? He didn't believe that all this was for his protection. There was no question it was for his money. It couldn't be anything else. The girl just wanted to live the good life for six months.

"Let's not argue about this anymore. In the contract, it clearly states that she won't interfere in anything of yours. The credit cards, they have the right amount to grant her necessities, just the basic nothing fancy," Aoshi said looking at Kaoru's clothes still mottled with stains of blood inside of the plastic bag sitting on the coffee table.

"Give me that damn contract," Kenshin ordered. He took it and read it quickly. "Stand up." The shorter man said while taking seat on the sofa. He looked at the girl that still knelt on the floor. Kaoru stood and sat next to him on the couch, but kept her distance. She looked at Aoshi thankfully and he smiled at her.

"Well . . . everything seems to be in order. Give me the pen," asked Kenshin, while he finished reading the document.

Aoshi gave him the pen and the rest of the copies. Kenshin signed each line of the contract.. Kaoru was give the rest of the documentation as well to do the same as her guardian.

Kaoru took it hesitantly and with uncertainty. She looked to Shinomori for reassurance and he gave her his approval with a nod. She signed her name and that was that. It was done. She gave the papers to the lawyer before Kenshin could have second thoughts, not daring to say anything after that.

Kenshin stood up and went back to his room without saying goodbye to Aoshi. Manners were apparently not his forte.

"It's finally done. Just remember that you have to do as you promised to Himura. You cannot really trust his mood so just make sure to keep out of trouble, ok?"

"Ok."

"Here this is your debit card. Make sure to use it wisely. I want you to buy new clothes and food."

"I don't need it," she assured him.

"Of course you do. Get what you need," said Aoshi firmly. Kaoru accepted the card and thanked the lawyer.

He politely departed in the same way in which he had arrived, very quiet. In the solitude of the apartment, she had no choice other than go the room which Kenshin had assigned to her earlier.

She opened the door and found it was a big and spacious room. Everything was new, from the bed to the furniture and the mirror. It had a private bathroom. She wouldn't expect less from a penthouse. She positioned herself on the bed and rested her wounded leg.

Kaoru could not remember the last time that she had felt so relieved. Kenshin could be the toughest person on Earth, but she was sure that living with him was much better than any of her other options. The girl was determined to make Kenshin understand that what he had done for her deserved a reward. For the rich it was all too easy to help someone, they only needed the will and realize that the life of many people could be changed thanks to them.

Himura should know how much his help meant to her. She would somehow make it clear to him. Kaoru would always appreciate it and decided she would help him stop being so sullen. The best way was to show Himura Kenshin that he was a good person. At that thought, she went to sleep peacefully. For the first time in a long time, she had the certainty that no harm would come her in the middle of the night.

**TO BE CONTINUED**


End file.
